Used Lotus Emira (2021-date) buyer’s guide: one of the very best sports cars

Service plans are available (for three, four or five years) when buying a new Emira, and these are transferable, so it’s worth seeing if any maintenance has been paid for in advance.

All Emiras are subject to the £440 expensive car supplement for road tax until their sixth birthday (on top of the annual £200 payable), and you can expect insurance to be steep, given that all models sit in group 50.

Recalls

Lotus has recalled the Emira twice, both times in June 2023. The first recall was because the tethers for the A-pillar trim hadn’t been attached, which meant that if the curtain airbags went off in a crash, the trim panels could hit the car’s occupants at speed. Emiras made between May 2022 and May 2023 were affected; the fix was to tether the trim panels.

Ten days later came recall two, because of faulty wiper motors. Cars produced between May 2022 and March 2023 were included, and the wiper motor had to be replaced because the fastest setting didn’t work correctly, although the lower-speed settings were fine.

Those are the only recalls, but there have been dealer campaigns for items such as oil leaks and driveshafts working loose as well.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

Lotus sold just 1,098 cars in the UK last year, and according to howmanyleft.com, there are just 1,800 or so Emiras registered in the UK, which represents more than three years of sales. So it’ll come as no surprise that Lotus, and the Emira specifically, have never appeared in Driver Power.

But a look at forums (such as emiraforum.com) suggests that owners love the driving experience, exterior design and cabin, but regular glitches and poor dealer support quickly grate.

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